The American Public Gardens Association champions and advances nearly 600 public gardens in North America and internationally. Together, we lead, advocate and innovate in the conservation and appreciation of plants.
VanDusen Botanical Garden

Become a member

Learn about our individual and institutional membership options.

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What is a public Garden?

Adkins Arboretum

A public garden is an institution (botanical gardens, arboreta, cemeteries, zoological gardens, sculpture gardens, college and university campuses, historic homes, urban greening organizations, natural areas, and city/county/state/federal parks) that maintains collections of plants for the purposes of public education and enjoyment, in addition to research, conservation, and higher learning. It must be open to the public and the garden’s resources and accommodations must be made to all visitors. Public gardens are staffed by professionals trained in their given areas of expertise and maintain active plant records systems.

Learn how a public gardens acquires a botanic garden or arboretum status below.

Botanical Garden Status
Arboretum Status

American Public Gardens is the place to connect with local gardens, search and find gardens in America, and tap into the valuable resource of Public Garden Magazine.

Find a Garden

Find a Garden

Visit our interactive Garden Map.

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Plant Collections Showcase

Plant Collections Showcase

See the collections in the Plant Collections Network.

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Public Garden Magazine

Public Garden Magazine

Read current, engaging content devoted to the world of public gardens.

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Public gardens enhance our communities and lives. Search jobs or learn more about the Plant Heroes program.

VanDusen Botanical Garden

EVENTS

Upcoming Association Events and related Professional Development Events curated by Association staff.

ALL EVENTS
  • Design & Planning Community Annual Meeting/Town Hall

    Monday October 16, 2023

    We are excited for you to join us for the Design & Planning Annual Meeting/Town Hall. Your perspectives and experiences [...]

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  • October Lunch & Learn: Climate Action: The Next Frontier for Public Gardens

    Friday October 6, 2023

    In this presentation, Richard Piacentini, President and CEO of Phipps Conservatory, APGA's 2023 Garden Excellence Award Winner, charts his garden’s [...]

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  • Submit a Session for Annual Conference 2024!

    Monday September 25, 2023

    Call for Sessions for our 2024 Annual Conference is now open! Join us for this webinar to get a behind [...]

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  • Bok Tower Gardens Open House

    Thursday October 19, 2023

    Bok Tower Gardens, started over 100 years ago by humanitarian, author, and editor Edward Bok, was designed by Fredrick Law [...]

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IDEA PRINCIPLES

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility

The American Public Gardens Association is committed to creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected and appreciated. The Association also seeks to encourage and support its members in creating this same culture within their own institutions. Just as the gardens and landscapes we present are biologically diverse and engaging, we seek to consistently re-examine our professional values, modify our existing practices and remove barriers to being diverse and inclusive.

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